Friction draft-rigging for railway-cars.



PATBNTBD' MAR. 15,1904.

APPLIUATIONIILED NOKV. 30, 1903.

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APPLICATION IILVED NOV. 30. 1903.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR. f3, JWM@ as A NOR/V516 UNITED STATES lsatentedMarch PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM MINER OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOE To w. H. MINEE COMPANY,` OECHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OE ILLINOIS.-

FRICTioN DRAFT-Blooms. FOR aAlLwAY-CARS.

sIEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,670, dated .Marchi5, 19o4.

Application filed November 30, 1903. Serial No. 183,110. (No model.)

To all whom, if may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MINER, a. citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Friction Draft-Rigging forRailway- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to friction draft-rigging for railway-cars.

The object of my invention is to provide a friction draft-rigging of astrong, eiicient, and durable construction and in which the frictiondevices are adapted to coperate with the ordinary longitudinal spring,followers, side plates or stop-castings, draw-bar. and drawbar strap orextension.

My invention consists in the novel construction of parts and devices andin the novel combinations of parts and devices herein shown anddescribed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure l is a central vertical section of a friction draft-riggingembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section; Fig. 3, across-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail cross-section ofthe sliding segmental friction-blocks. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of one of the sliding segmental friction-blocks, and Figs. 6 and 7are detail views of the wedge.

In the drawings, A represents the draft-timbers or center sills of acar, to which the draftrigging or its side plates or stop-castingsareattached; A', thc front or cross sill, and A2 the carry-iron. B is thedraw-bar; B', the drawbar extension, preferably in the form of a strapor yoke, and C the coupler.

D D are the side'plates or stop-castings, having the customary front andrear stops Z CZ for the followers E E to abut against and upper andlower guides d Z2 for the followers to reciprocate in or between, theupper guide al being preferably an integral flange on the side plates orstop-castings D D and the lower guides Z2 d2 being preferably removableand secured by bolts Z3 to the side plates or stopcastings D D.

F is a longitudinally-arranged spring directlybehind the draw-bar and inthe line of draft, there being also, preferably, a small spring fnesting within it.

G is a sliding friction shell or case having an interiorfriction-surface g, preferably cylindrical in form. The friction-shell Gis pro- 'Vided with integral external feet or Vprojections g to rest andslide lupon the guides of the side plates or stop-castings.

H H are cooperating sliding friction-blocks inside the sliding case orshell Gr, the same be-` dle portion to abut against one of the corre- Ispondingly-inclined faces le of the wedge K, the wedge having four facesJ-one for each of the sliding friction-blocks H- and bearing againstsaid sliding friction-blocks at or near their middle, so as to spread orpress the sliding friction-blocks at their .middle portions outwardlyagainst their surrounding sliding friction shell or case G, whichconfines them against outward, radial, lateral, or transverse movement,while permitting the friction-blocks to slide longitudinally in respectto the shell or case'. As the sliding frictionblocks are engaged andpressed centrally or medially as to their length by the wedge K thefriction-blocks automatically accommodate themselves to the frictionshell or case, and the friction surfaces /L of the slidingfriction-blocks engage the cooperating friction-surface g of the shellor case Gr with a uniform pressure from end to end of thefriction-blocks and without any tendency toward causing one endof thefriction-blocks to scrape, gouge, or cut into the friction shell or caseafter the manner of a planing-tool, as is likely to be the case wherethe friction-blocks are engagedby wedges at both ends thereof, andespecially where one of the wedges has a fixed, solid, or unyieldingabutment,while the wedge at the opposite end has a yielding orspring-supported abutment. The wedge K has a flat straight face againstwhich one end of the spring F bears. and a central stud k2 for guidingor holding the spring in position. The opposite or rear end of thespring F abuts against the rear follower E', preferably through anindependent or loose spring seat-block M, having an external iange orshoulder fm, which engages an internal flange or shoulder g2 on thesliding friction ease or shell G. The independent spring seat-block Mpermits a partial initial compression of the spring before thelongitudinally-sliding friction-shell G and friction-blocks H begin toslide longitudinally, one in respect to the other, and thus bringing thefrictional resistance into action.

In pulling, the sliding friction-blocks H are held stationary by thefront follower E and front stops d, while the rear follower moves withthe draw-bar and first initially compresses the spring F until the rearfollower by the further movement comes in contact with the rear end ofthe friction shell or case Gr, which is then moved longitudinallyforward by the further movement of the drawbar, and thus adding thefrictional resistance of the interengaging sliding friction-surfaces gL, which are parallel to the line of draft and longitudinal movement ofthe draw-bar to the direct resistance of the spring F as the same isfurther compressed by the further forward movement of the draw-bar. Inbufring, the operation is the same, but the reverse, the seat-block Mbeing held stationary by the rear follower E and rear stops d, while thefront follower and friction-blocks H H and friction case or shell Gmoves with the draw-bar by reason of the frictional grip produced by thespring F and wedge K between the sliding friction-blocks H and case orshell Gr, thus cushioning the blow by the direct action of the springsFf until the rear end of the shell or case G engages the rear followerIG, when the further rearward movement of the drawbar will cause thefriction-blocks H H to slide in respect to the shell or case G and addthe frictional resistance to the direct resistance of the spring as thespring is further compressed by the further rearward movement of thedraw-bar. As the sliding friction-blocks H are pressed against thesliding friction-shell G only by a single spring-supported wedge at ornear the longitudinal middle of the friction-blocks the frictionalengagement, grip, or pressure between the friction-blocks and shell isrelieved or proportionately relieved as the spring expands when thedraw-bar is relieved from strain, so that there is little tendency ofthe friction blocks and shell to stick in respect to each other.

The sliding segmental friction-blocks H H are preferably provided ontheir meeting radial faces with interengaging recesses and pro- Ijeotions f to keep the same in position or registry with each other.

I claim- 1. In a friction draft-rigging for railwaycars, the combinationwith the side plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops andupper and lower guides, a draw-bar, draw-bar extension front and rearfollowers, and longitudinally-arranged spring,of a longitudinallyslidingfriction shell or case, alternately held stationary by one follower andlongitudinally moved by the other, and having an interiorfriction-surface longitudinally parallel to the line of draft, and aplurality of segmental longitudinally-sliding friction-blocks insidesaid friction case or shell, and having each an exteriorfriction-surface engaging said shell or ease and having each a square orright-angle end bearing against one follower, and having each aninclined bearing-face at its longitudinally middle portion, and a wedge,bearing against the inclined faces of said sliding friction-blocks andagainst one end of the spring, substantially as specified.

2. In a friction draft-rigging for railwaycars, the combination with theside plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops and upper andlower guides, a draw-bar, draw-bar extension, front and rear followers,and longitudinally-arranged spring, ofalongitudinallysliding frictionshell or case, alternately held stationary by one follower andlongitudinally moved by the other, and having an interiorfriction-surface longitudinally parallel to the line of draft, andsegmental longitudinallysliding friction-blocks inside said frictioncase or shell, and having each an exterior frictionface engaging saidshell and a square or rightangle end bearing against one follower, andan inclined bearing-face at its longitudinal middle portion, a wedgebearing against the in- IOO clined faces of said sliding friction-blocksand against one end of the spring, and an independent scat-blockinterposed between one of the followers and one end of the springtopermit a partial compression of the spring bcfore the frictionalresistance comes into action, substantially as specified.

3. In a friction draft-rigging for railwayears, the combination withside plates or stopcastings having front and rear stops and upper andlower guides, a draw-bar, draw-bar extension, front and rear followers,a longitudinally-arranged spring bearing at one end against a followerand at the other end against a wedge, of a longitudinally-slidingfriction shell or case alternately held stationary by one follower andlongitudinally moved by the other, and having an interiorfriction-surface longitudinally parallel to the line of draft, and aplurality of segmental longitudinally-sliding friction-blocks insidesaid case or shell, and having each an exterior friction-face in slidingfrictional engagement with said shell,

IIO

' an inclined bearing-face at its longitudinally middle portion, and awedge bearing against the inclined faces of said sliding frictionblocksand against one end of the spring, substantially as specified.

4. In a friction draft-rigging for railwaycars, the combination with theside plates or stop-castings having front and rear stops and upper andlower guides, a longitudinally-arranged spring bearing at one endagainst a follower and at the other end'against a wedge, of alongitudinally-sliding friction shell or case alternately heldstationary by one follower and longitudinally moved by the other,

and having an interior friction-surface longitudinally parallel totheline of draft, and segmental longitudinally-sliding friction-blocksinside said friction case or shell, and having each an exteriorfriction-face in sliding en gagement with saidshell, a square orrightangle-end bearing against one follower, and an inclinedbearing-face at its longitudinally middle portion, a wedge bearingagainst the inclined faces of said sliding friction-blocks and againstone end of the spring, and an independent seat-block interposed betweenone of the followers and one end of the spring to permit a partialcompression of the spring before the frictional resistance comes intoaction, substantially as specified.

5. In a friction draft-rigging for railwaycars, the combination withside platesor stopcastings having front and rear stops and 'upper andlower guides, a draw-bar, draw-bar extension, front and rear followers,and a longitudinally-'arranged spring, of a longitudinally-slidingfriction shell or case alternately held stationary by one follower andlongitudinally mved by the other, kand having an interiorfriction-surface longitudinally parallel to the line of draft, and aplurality of segmental longitudinally-sliding friction-blocks insidesaid friction case or shell, and having each a square or,` right-angleend bearing against one follower, and having each an inclinedbearing-face, and a wedge bearing against the inclined faces of saidsliding friction-blocks and against one end of the spring, substantiallyas specified.

6. In a friction draft-rigging the combination with side plates orstop-castings having front and rear stops, offront and rear followers, alongitudinally-arranged spring, a drawbar and draw-bar extension, alongitudinallysliding friction-shell having an interior friction-faceparallel to the draw-bar, a plurality of segmental slidingfriction-blocks inside said shell andhaving exterior friction-faces insliding frictional contact with the shell, and provided each with squarebearings at one end to engage the follower and a wedge bearing againstsaid segmental friction-blocks at their middle, saidspring bearing atone end against said wedge and at its other end against saidfriction-shell, substantially as specified.

7. In a friction draft-rigging the combination with side plates orstop-castings having front and rear stops, of front and rear followers,a longitudinally-arranged spring, a drawbar and draw-bar extensionalongitudinallysliding friction-shell having an interior friction-faceparallel to the draw-bar, a plurality of segmental slidingfriction-blocks inside said shell and having exterior friction-faces insliding' frictional contact with the shell, and

A provided each with square bearings at one end to engage the followerand a wedge bearing against said segmental friction-blocks at theirmiddle, said'spring bearing at one end against said wedge and at itsother end against said friction-shell, and a seat-block interposedbetween the rear end of said spring and said friction-shell,substantially as specified.

8. In a friction draft-rigging, the combination with side plates orstop-castings having front and rear stops, of front and rear followers,a longitudinally-arranged spring, a

draw-bar and draw-bar extension, a longitudinally-sliding friction-shellhaving an interior friction-face parallel to the draw-bar, segmentalsliding friction-blocks inside said shell and having exteriorfriction-faces in sliding frictional contact with the shell and providedwith square bearings at one end to engage the follower and aA wedgebearing against said segmental friction-blocks at their middle, saidspring bearing at one end against said wedge and at its other endagainst said friction-shell, and a seat-block interposed between therear end of said spring and said friction-shell, said friction-shell andseat- IOO block having inter-engaging shoulders, substantially asspecified.

WILLIAM H. MINER.

Witnesses:

EDMUND ADcooK, H. M. MUNDAY.

